OfficeLinks Announced an Executive Change Today.

After nearly 8 years, Paul V. Carter is stepping down as OfficeLinks' Senior Vice President but will remain as an advisor to the company.

During his tenure as Senior Vice President, Paul played an instrumental role in fueling the firm’s growth from one to six locations, including five in New York City and one in Chicago. His relentless focus on helping to advance the business and serving customers has earned OfficeLinks a reputation that is second to none in the shared workspace category.

“I want to thank Paul for his many contributions over the past years. I am sure he will do wonderful things in whatever he chooses to do next”, said Harsh Mehta Chief Operational Officer, OfficeLinks.

More freelancers, solopreneurs and contractors have entered the workforce. The new economy has created a new set of workplace rules. Is your business up for the challenge? Consider this: The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 40% of the entire workforce in the US will be freelance by 2020. What does that mean for the workplace and traditional office space?

What will the workplace look like in six years and how can employers and employees continue to be productive and profitable? One thing is certain - the need for traditional office space will dwindle.

Part of the answer moving forward lies with flexible working and the growing importance of shared workspaces across all business sectors. These environments have been purposely designed for collaboration and offer a host of settings that can meet the needs of workers who need a professional place to drop-in and work for an hour, day or longer.

Work is no longer a destination, it's what we do. Employees, thanks to mobile technology, expect more freedom to choose when and where they work. Having access to on-demand space is one way businesses and their staff can continue to stay nimble in this changing economy. We’ve made it a point to keep the conversation going with our clients to ensure that we are prepared to meet their dynamic needs.

The merging of fashion and technology has produced a host of wearable gadgets that are creeping into the workplace. This growing trend has prompted a new set of issues for employers to manage in the office.

From smartwatches to rings and from wristbands to belts, IT departments are trying to stay ahead of the tech challenge by implementing policies to protect the interests of its staff and overall business.

So forget about BYOD rules we’ve now morphed into Bring-Your-Own-Everything territory. Juniper research indicates a surge in wearable technology over the coming years -- reaching 150 million devices by 2018. Expect more of these devices to flood the workplace very soon.

Among the routes businesses are pursuing:

Complete ban of wearable technology: Enforcement of the policy would be difficult and likely pose more problems for the HR department.

Updated company guidelines: Businesses are modifying their existing BYOD policies to include new parameters for wearables. Specifically what information is collected during business hours, how is it being used and where is it being stored. For example, audio recordings of conversations or meetings in certain states could be a violation of the law.

Have you implemented any new policies to address wearable technology? Has it become an issue among your employees or colleagues? Tell us about it.

Despite all the drawbacks, more businesses are migrating to an open office concept. As a result, noise levels are quickly rising in the workplace – and so are the distractions for workers who are expected to perform. Talkative coworkers, annoying habits and endless interruptions are leading to more stress and less productivity in the workplace. Workers are struggling to adapt to this new environment.

“Most offenses happen because the other person doesn’t realize it,” says etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, founder of The Protocol School of Texas.

Here are three tips for surviving in an open office:

Communicate: If you are working on an impending deadline, let your colleagues know you need to focus on your project for the good of the business. Be clear and direct.

Infuse some humor: Keep your tone light when asking coworkers to keep it down. You will avoid looking like a disgruntled employee.

Bring your own buds: Noise cancelling headsets have surged in popularity as workers trying to navigate open offices.

If you really need a break, try reserving a conference room where you can hunker down and get some work done.

The debate on the realization of work-life balance has leaped to the forefront of American consciousness again. Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi drew attention to the topic earlier this month in an interview in which she candidly proclaimed, “If you ask our daughters, I’m not sure they will say that I’ve been a good mom.”

Achieving work-life balance seems to be an uphill and ongoing battle for working professionals – even for those with the most meticulous of plans.

Mobile technology has become both a blessing and a curse. One on hand, it allows us to work from a myriad of locations - no one is tethered to a single desk anymore. On the other hand, it’s nearly impossible to disconnect from work when your smartphone and tablet are within arm’s reach.

Luckily, flexible work practices are helping foster more balance in the workplace. Remote working, telecommuting and shorter commutes are possible because of a shift in work habits and a widening acceptance of remote workers. Shared space providers are at the forefront of this movement and making work-life balance a real possibility for today’s workers.

As the flexible work movement progresses, it will be in the best interest of employers to offer more work options for employees.

A new opinion just came down from the New York City bar’s ethic committee stating New York lawyers may use the street address of a “virtual law office” as their primary business location even if they work from another location. The committee advised, “It’s not inherently misleading for lawyers to display this street address on their law firm website, business card and letterhead.”

The opinion also stated, “We should not create obstacles to the use of VLOs as long as the interests of clients, the courts and the legal system are protected.”

With technology supporting the work anywhere movement and the growing acceptance of mobile working, the need for a traditional office continues to dwindle. Solo legal practitioners who want to make the right impression with clients but do not want to incur the overhead expenses of traditional space will benefit from this ruling.

A virtual office provides businesses of any size and any industry with all of the physical assets of an office without having to commit to a long-term lease or a large amount of space that would typically go unused for an extended period of time.

The Chicago office market rebound is causing a bump in rents for Class A space making it financially challenging for companies looking to operate in the city. In growing numbers, companies are turning to shared space providers who can offer top-tier addresses at affordable rates.

No set term limits, the freedom to scale up or down at prestigious addresses and access to conference rooms on-demand, shared office space shields companies from rising overhead expenses. A trend that is fueling the industry's growth is the fact that more individuals can now make their own decisions as to where they work. Companies looking to shrink their real estate portfolios are allowing staff to work from a range of locations – home, office and alternate sites.

Businesses don’t have to get priced out of Chicago’s most coveted addresses – despite the fact that rents for tenants in Chicago’s high-end buildings rose close to 11 percent when compared to 2012 rents.

“Landlord agents feel there is some wind at our backs, but it's not a landlord's market yet,” said Jack McKinney Jr., a senior vice president at Chicago-based leasing brokerage J.F. McKinney & Associates Ltd. “Things will continue in the landlords' favor for the rest of this year and into 2015. As new product is delivered in 2016 and 2017, it could cool off,” he added.

With offices in New York and Chicago, OfficeLinks makes it possible for businesses of any size to have a presence in two of the most influential and costliest markets in the world.

We work with an eclectic mix of businesses, which are at different stages of development. Businesses that have passed the crucial three-to-five-years in business phase are now working with us to add space as their headcount grows and their needs change.

We also support the one-to-two-person shop who are in the initial stages of growth and are looking for cost-effective ways to launch. Starting a business takes a leap of faith, a tolerance for risk and a great idea. While you can always list the reasons not to take the plunge now could be the perfect time to start a new venture. Here’s why:

You don’t need a lot of cash: Shared space providers offer cost-effective options enabling you to have an immediate presence without breaking the bank. Virtual offices are a perfect way to have a business presence without a physical office. If you need a full-time office shared space providers allow companies to take as much or as little space as you need.

You can easily build a network: Surround yourself with like-minded professionals. Shared workspaces are full of entrepreneurs, creatives, accountants and lawyers. Striking up a conversation with any of these professionals can lead to new partnerships, new business and new revenue channels.

You can access support: Leverage the administrative staff based in your facility. The staff can serve as an extension of your team and help you run your business more efficiently.

Vacancy rates for top-shelf office space in Manhattan is tightening up once again. The month of May proved to be a strong month for absorption, with the availability rate for prime NYC locations down to under 11%. And, with rising demand, businesses searching for space will encounter rising rents. So what’s the best way to scale your business in New York?

Adding additional square footage and locking-in to a long-term lease is one way to slow down the forward progress of any business looking to grow. Scaling up and down as your business needs change is a safe way to sustainable growth. Shared space providers make it very easy to do this in New York.

Among the reasons why:

Securing space is easy: You can ramp up quickly in the same location you are currently in. No need to move or fit out new space. Work with your provider to add-on to your existing package.

It’s affordable: Invest your money in growing the business instead of your office space. Continue to leverage the assets that are available in the space on a pay-as-you-go model.

You can maintain the right image: Stay at your top-tier business address. You don’t have to sacrifice more space for a less desirable address.

Virtual offices are a great resource but do require additional explaining for individuals and businesses not familiar with the service. It’s a cost-effective option for a business that is not ready for a full-time office. Simply put, a virtual office customer has all the physical assets of an office available to them for a fraction of the price. Here’s how:

It’s more than an address

For individuals who spend more time working from home or on on-site at a client’s location, a full-time office isn’t the best solution. A virtual office allows you to take your home address (or P.O. Box) off your business card and use a top-tier, professional address for your company. This gives a business of any size instant credibility with customers and future employees. Phone answering, a dedicated business telephone number and mail handling are services a shared space provider can offer as part of the VO package.

Flexibility

You can be working anywhere in the world, but your business will still have a home base. A virtual office requires minimal capital and no long-term commitment. It’s also a risk-free way of testing a new market.

Offices and meeting rooms available

Virtual office customers also have access to offices and meeting rooms, on-demand. For times when client meetings or presentations are required, virtual office customers can book an office or meeting room through their shared space provider. This pay-as-you-go feature allows businesses to easily control costs.